WEC is an initiative by NITI Aayog to promote and support established as well as aspiring women entrepreneurs in India and create a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem where women do not face any gender-based barriers.

In order to create a mutual platform under NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Cell (WEC), National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) has entered into a partnership with NITI Aayog to provide a continuous stimuli for innovation & growth among the women entrepreneurs in the country. WEC is an initiative by NITI Aayog to promote and support established as well as aspiring women entrepreneurs in India and create a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem where women do not face any gender-based barriers.

Aspiring to substantially increase the number of women entrepreneurs who will create and empower a dynamic new India, the partnership will provide opportunities to women to realize their entrepreneurial aspirations, scale-up innovative initiatives and chalk-out sustainable, long-term strategies for their businesses.

NASSCOM through its Start-up warehouses in 10 states would make available space for 15 Women Entrepreneurs led Start-up across locations on a nominal charges basis, providing top class infrastructure, high-end technology and field expertise, and curated programs to augment the growth of these women entrepreneurs. The platform.

NITI Aayog would help identify priority activities which have a relevant social impact aligned to the WEC’s goals and will monitor the progress of the project regularly, coordinating for any pending action items for efficient roll out of the project. The institute will also develop in consultation with NASSCOM, specific monitoring system and extend all assistance on best endeavour basis to support NASSCOM in achieving the objectives.

Speaking on the announcement, Debjani Ghosh, President-Designate, NASSCOM said, “India is now on its next growth curve, led by disruptive technologies like data sciences and AI and women in our country have been leading the growth to the next level. What is required is to create awareness, bring visibility to the existing initiatives and bring departments together. The vision behind this initiative is to consolidate and streamline efforts in this space by building state-of-the-art infrastructure to amplify the impact that Women entrepreneurs in India can indigenously create.”

NASSCOM, under its 10000 Start-up program, would work with its technology, business, legal and financial support partners to make available Start up Kits to the selected start-ups with an estimated benefit of approximately USD 10,000 per start up per year as cloud credits from its partners.

Through the partnership NASSCOM along with its partner, will conduct specific acceleration program for the women entrepreneurs to understand and execute various growth factors such as business plan feasibility; Market analysis; Segmentation and Market Research guidance; Company formation and regulatory compliance guidance. NASSCOM will also hold Monthly Business Series, a specialized training program to develop business skills – skills to start and scale up, for these start-ups.

Speaking on the announcement, Anna Roy, Advisor (NITI Aayog) said, “WEP aspires to substantially increase the number of women entrepreneurs who will create and empower a dynamic new India. We aim to promote women entrepreneurship by collaborating with various partner organisations, and work towards increasing the visibility of existing visibility of existing schemes, programmes & services across government and private sectors”

The warehouse will also provide access to e-business facilities and other aspects of ICT, introductions to financing institutions who particularly focuses on women entrepreneurs to help with raising bank finance, grants, seed and venture capital along with facilitating networking with other entrepreneurs and potential customers, investors and trade organizations, providing a 360 degree growth for these entrepreneurs.

From receiving less than 2 per cent applications from Women founders in the first year to having more than 10 per cent of the total applications in 2016, NASSCOM 10,000 Startups programme has seen a great rise in the number of women taking up tech entrepreneurship in the country. As per NASSCOM Start-up report, Women start up constitute of 11%, a total of 550 women entrepreneurs in India as of 2017.